“It lit a fire inside of all of us,” said Sandra Crowe, school parent. “We weren’t going to go down without a fight.”

School supporters in the Dogtown neighborhood rallied to raise enough money to keep the doors open. An anonymous donor is providing matching grants while fundraising efforts continue.

“We had faith that it was going to work out,” said St. James the Greater parent Mike Hall.

He said supporters are confident they have enough financial support to stay open for at least the next five years. Supporters are also focused on improving recruitment.

“We will have to provide a balanced budget every year to the archdiocese just as any parish school would have to, but we’re really confident we’re going to be able to do everything year after year,” Hall said.

“We still have a long way to go,” said Fr. Chris Dunlap, St. James the Greater. “But we’re excited for the opportunity to continue providing that education for our children.”